Covid-19 community testing available in Elgin from Monday

The testing centre will be in Williamson Hall on Moss Street until 16 April and will include longer opening hours as businesses start to re-open. If arriving by car, users are asked to access by the Duff Avenue entrance.

The hours of operation in Elgin will be 29-30 March and 1-2 April 9.30am-4.30pm, 31 March 1pm-7pm. From 5-16 April the testing centre will be open 7am-7pm.

This is to reflect the re-opening of more retail businesses and close contact services. Testing can take place before or after work and businesses are encouraged to highlight the facility to their staff. Taking a test, even if no symptoms are displayed, breaks chains of community transmission to help keep residents safe, and businesses open.

The community testing site also continues at Buckie’s Fishermen’s Hall for another week, until 2 April.

Karen Sievewright, Environmental Health and Trading Standards Manager, said: “By getting tested at a community testing site, and testing positive, you can take immediate action to stop the spread of the virus to friends, family and the community by self-isolating.

“As we start to open up more and people are unable to avoid close contact for certain activities, such as going to the hairdresser, community testing is a key tool to ensure we don’t return to high numbers of covid-19 cases in Moray.

“Everyone has worked so hard to drive numbers down here, so for the sake of a test which takes a few minutes let’s continue to keep numbers low, and our communities and workplaces as safe as possible.”

Tests are free, and available to members of the public who have no symptoms associated with Covid-19 but who could be infectious and spreading the virus without knowing it.

Testing is available on a drop-in basis, without the need for an appointment and can be taken by people who have had a covid vaccination.

A mobile number is required for anyone to take a test, it can be the number of a trusted friend or family member for those who don’t have a mobile phone.

People attending the centre will be asked to perform a Lateral Flow test on themselves. These quick and easy tests can be processed on-site with results expected around 30 minutes later.

Anyone who tests negative doesn’t have to take any action but should continue to follow all national guidance to avoid crowded places, maintain social distancing and wear a face covering.

Where a test is positive, people will be asked to take a confirmatory PCR test and self-isolate as a precaution until the result is known. If this test is also positive individuals and their households will have to self-isolate in line with national guidance.

Information will be available onsite, providing advice on accessing different financial support alongside practical measures such as food packages for those who need to self-isolate.

Norma Matheson, Moray Council’s Benefits Manager, said: “We know that self-isolating can be really difficult for some people - physically and mentally but, more often than not, financially.

“We understand that being asked to self-isolate at short notice can present you with a lot of problems. Not everyone may be lucky enough to have family, friends or good neighbours nearby who can help with things like getting groceries or picking up prescriptions. The Grampian Coronavirus Assistance Hub can give you details of help available locally with things like shopping, collecting prescriptions etc. You can call them on 0808 196 3384.

“Some people are only a week’s wages away from financial difficulty and can’t afford not to work.  

"We don’t want these things to be a barrier to people getting tested. We are here to help support you if you need to self-isolate.”

People should only attend the community testing site if they do not have any Covid-19 symptoms. Do not attend if you:

• have Covid-19 symptoms
• are currently self-isolating because you have been identified as a close contact
• have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 90 days